Combined fire alarm and extinguishing system.



G. E. BUBLL.

commmn FIRE ALARM AND EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.

urmouxox FILED my 10, 1900.

' Patented NOV. 3, 1908. 2 sun's-sum 1.

wlmsssss I #4 /6 //v VEN TOR C. E. BUELL. 4

COMBINED FIRE ALARM AND EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.

' APPLIOA'I'ION nnnn my 10,1900.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

2 sums-31mm 2.

FIG.2.

mar r i FFTQ CHARLES E. BUELL, OF NORTH PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASS IGNOR TO GENERAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,- N. Y.,'-A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMBINED FIRE ALARM AND njxrmeursmne srsrnm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BUELL, of

New Jersey, have invented Improvements in a Combined Fire Alarm and Extinguishing System, of which the following is a specification;

My invention consists primarily in the combination, with a sprinkler system provided with automatic sprinklers and a main valve for said system, of a telephone circuit and means for sending an alarm signal over said telephone circuit when the main valve is moved from the positionof fully open.

My invention further consists of means for sending an alarm signal of one character over a telephone circuit when a sprinkler opens and an alarm signal of a different character over said telephone circuit when the main valve is moved from the position of fully open.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a combined fire alarm and extinguishing system arranged according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the switch-board at the central station.

Referring to the drawings, P represents the main riser of a sprinkler system and 79 one of the sprinkler pipes provided with sprinklers S adapted to be opened by heat. Located between the main riser P and the main supply pipe M S is the main valve mechanism V comprising the main valve a provided with the valve-stem o s and handle H and adapted to be seated so as to exclude water from the riser P and the sprinkler system. Attached to the underside of the valve '2: and movable therewith is a rod 7" which extends through an opening 0 in the valve-casing and is provided at its free end with a small valve 0 41 adapted to become seated so as to close the opening or vent 0 when the main valve is in the position of fully open, and to become unseated so as to open the vent 0 when the main valve is moved from the position of fully open.

In a chamber that is joined to the casing of the valve mechanism V is arranged a retarding device, which consists of a hinged check-valve R V adapted to be held down to close the opening or eduction port f of pipe The Valve R V is constructed and arranged to present a larger area to the water on the side towards the sprinklers, so that when the water pressure is equal in the main supply pipe and the sprinkler system, which will, be the case when the mainvalve o is open and the sprinkler system is filled and the sprinklers sealed, said valve R V will be .held seated and the opening. f of pipe 7) closed. Any slight changes of pressure in the system will be adjusted by the flow of water through the small hole in the valve 1% V indicated in the drawings by the arrow.

\Vhen a sprinkler opens, or the valve 4) is turned from the position of fully open, thereby opening the valve 0 c, the pressure of the sprinkler system side of valve R V is reduced, and said valve is then opened by the greater pressure on the main supply side thereof, thereby admitting a supply of water into the sprinkler system and also into the pipe 2; and therethrough to the water-motor M, which serves to start said motor. The motor M is connected to and drives an electric generator. D which generates an electric current that is sent to the switchboard S 6 over the lines Z Z which includes telephone apparatus T of a subscribers sta tion. The current that is generated by the electric generator D and sent to the switchboard S-boover lines Z Z- is diflerent in character from thecurrent ordinarily sent over said line for telephone calls, being of longer duration or of greater strength, and by an ploying apparatus for indicating the passing of such a current an alarm is produced that indicates the opening of a sprinkler or the closing of the main valve.

The handle H of valve '22 is provided with an insulating pin or member-7c to insulate the spring (1 of circuit key- S" from the handle H when the valve 11 is in the position of fully open as shown. When the spring {I is held as shown the lines Z Z are connected through the key S by the contact pin j so that thecurrent generated by the generator D can be sent over said lines. When, however, the handle is turned to move valve V from the position of fully open, the spring 9 moves ofi' of the insulating pin and comes into contact with the handle H, thereby breaking the contact between lines Z Z and forming a circuit through the earth and ever one of the lines Z to include the generator D.

' to transmit current to the switch-board S b. i

The turning of ,handle H opens out let 0 and starts the generator D, and through the ball governor-switch B 9 perfects the grounded circuit. A branch Z is shown extending from one of the lines Z and connected to a terminal stop 2' against which the spring 9 adapted to make contact when it grounds on handle H, and .a circuit is established over said line Z and the earth which excludes the resistance of the telephone apparatus T, and can be employed with charged lines for producing an alarm signal by-gro unding the line and by varying the line resistance when the main valve is.

dinary telephone calls or to denote the open ing of a sprinkler.

A hammer i2, is adapted to rotate with the arbor a of the motor M and to strike the gong Z) to give a local alarm when the motor M is in motion. A drip-pipe cl can be attached. to the motor for carrying 05 the waiter discharged therefrom. The generator s a series wound dynamo, and is provided with a circuit controlling governor of wellknown construction and action for delaying the development of current until the motor M develops a satisfactory speed, when the generator D is interconnected automatically This interconnection is accomplished by means of theswltch 8, switch points f f,

and the ball governor B 9 for operating said switch 8. Sucha controlling apparatus can be used .when desired to allow'the generator to gain a high rate'of speed before bein switched into the telephone circuit.

Two pressure gages G G are mounted on branch pipe 72 and areinsulated therefrom at gand 9 respectively. The lnClGX hand ofgage' G is normally in contact with the stop 6 and-is electrically connected with the line Z and with the index hand of gage G.

A wire 4. has for its terminal the step e on gage G, and a wire- 5 leads from the generator D to and through an alarm apparatus -When pressure is a mitted to pipe the shunt that is normally completed over the index, hand of gage G, is broken and a circuit over wires 4 and 5 is completed by the contact of the index hand of gage G with the stop e. The circuit thus formed-furnishes analarm circuitthat is distinct from that leading to the switch-hoard S b and can g and including be made use of in connection with the equipment of buildingswhere it is desired to give a local alarm.

A check-valve c v is shown in the riser P to prevent a back flow from the sprinkler pipes when the outlet orifice 0 is opened, thereby admitting of a quicker movement of valve R V when said orifice is opened.

Three lines are shown radiating from the switch-board S I), each of said lines being provided with an annunciator numbered respectively 1 2*, 3 1%; subscribers telephone apparatus T is shown in lin s 3.

The switch-board S b is shown. as composed. of a series of vertical and horizontal cross-bars of Well-known,donstruction .with plug-holes attheir intersections, adapted to receive metal plugs p by which any desiredconnection can be iinade of the radiating lines. As shown inithe drawings, the wires Z Z are connected by means of said plugs 29 to the first horizontal cross bar so asto operate' the annunciator 1. After said annunciator has beenv operated so as to attract the attention of the operator-at the central station, one of said plugs 32 can be removed and inserted in the second horizontal crossbar .to connect the o erators telephone at the central station Wlth wires Z Z, and by further manipulating said plugs the wires Z Z may be connected to any telephone at the central station.

The annunciators 1 2, and 3 are shown in detail in Fig. 2 and are provided with the usual drops d and stops E. Connected to each of th horizontal bars in said switchboard is an elect-rlc wire extendlng to ground a; therefor.

The circuits for the difierent devicesare as follows:

TcZcp/t01w.Thc telephone circuit for the subscribers telephone T comprises the telephone lines Z Z, the shunt through gage G, the annunciator 1 and the horizontal and vertical cross-bars of the switchboard S b an alarm bell. B and battery to which the lines Z Z are respectively connected, as shown in Fig. 2.

Sprinkler aZarm. -The sprinkler alarmcircuit comprises the telephone lines Z Z,

circuit key S, switch S, generator D, and the switch board connections above recited Said sprinkler alarm circuit is normally open at the switch-S, but when a sprinkler opens the generator D antomaticallyopcn ates the ball governor 13 g to move the switch S into a position to close said circuit, and a current entirely different from the current ordinarily'sent over the telephone circuit is sent over said circuit to the central station.

Val 0e a larm.The valve alarmcircuit comprises the valve o, valve-stem V S,'handle 'H, terminal stop 2', branch line Z, one

oi the wires Z, one of the vertical bars upon.

the switchboard S5, oneof the horizontal bars on said switch-board, and the ground wire including the bell B and battery ac.

As will. be seen, this circuit is likewise normally open' between the'handle H and branch 1. The combination, with a sprinkler system provided with automatic sprinklers and a'main valve for said system, of a telephone circuit, and means for sending an alarm signal of one character over said telephone circuit when a sprinkler opens and an alarm signal of a different character over said telephone circuit when the main valve is moved' from the position of. fully open, substantially as described. o I

2. The combination, with a sprinkler sys-' tem provided with automatic sprinklers and a main valve for said system, of a telephone circuit, a generator adapted to be included" in said circuit, means for actuating said generator when a sprinkler opens or when the main valve is moved from the position of fully open, and means for sending an alarm signal of one character over the telephone circuit when the generator is actuated by the opening of a sprinkler, and of a different character when the generator is actuated by the movement of the main valve, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a sprinkler. system provided with automatic sprinklers and a main valve for said system, of a telephone circuit, a generator adapted to be included in said circuit, means for actuating'said generator when a sprinkler opens, and a branch circuit adapted to be. grounded when the main valve is moved from afposition of fully open, whereby a signal of one character will be sent. over the telephone circuit when asprinkler opens, and a signal of a different character will be sent over the grounded circuit when the valve is .moved from its open position, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the main supply valve of a sprinkler system, of a propelled generator having connections thereto that include a retarding device that. is adapted to be made operative; when a sprinkler opens to admit water to a normally closed outlet for making'operative the said generator, connections from said generator to a linethat includes apparatus for oral communication and for receiving transmitted currents of said generator, apparatus forinterconnectin g/said line with a series of radiating lines,

each of which includes telephone apparatus,

and means for normally shunting said generator out of the.line, substantially as described. I v

5. In acombined fire alarm and extinvconnected to a system of automatic springuishing system, the combination of a valve mechanism for controlling the water supply of a sprinkler system that comprises a man- .ually. operated main valve, an eduction port held closed when said valve is in the position of fully open and that is' adapted to be opened when the said main valve is turned from the position of open, connections from said eduction port to a propelled electromechanical mechanism, and a retarding de vice for controlling the eduction port and adapted to prevent the inlet of water thereto when slight changes of pressure take place in the sprinkler system, substantially as described.

6. In a combined fire alarm and extin- 'guishing system, the combination, with a series wounddynamo, of pressure actuated means for-propelling said dynamo that is connected to an automatic sprinkler system, a telephone circuit having connections to said dynamo that includes means for denoting the action of the dynamo, and a sub-circuit con-' necting an alarm apparatus to said dynamo, substantially as described.

7. In a combined fire alarm and eXtin? guishing' system, the combination, with a series wound dynamo, of pressure actuated means-for propelling said dynamo that is rlers, a telephone circuit having connection to said dynamo that includes means for denoting the-action 'of the dynamo, and a subcircuit connecting an alarm apparatus to saiddynamo through a pressure controlled switch, substantially as described.

8. In a combined fire alarm and extinguishing system, the combination, with a sys-- tem of automaticsprinklers, of, a main valve mechanism comprising a retardmg'device and a'hand manipulated valve, connections from the retarding device to a water motor, a dynamo connected to said water motor and adapted to be driven thereby, and a speed operated switch for connecting the dynamo with a telephone circuit that includes alarm receiving apparatus, substantially as described.

'9. In a combined fire alarm and extinguishing system, the combination, with a system off-automatic sprinklers, of'a main valve mechanism comprising aretarding device and a hand manipulated valve, connections from the retarding device. to a water motor, a dynamo connected to said :water motor and adapted to be driven thereby, a speed operated switch for connecting the dynamo with a telephone circuit that includes alarmreceiving apparatus, and a subcircuit connecting another alarmapparatus,

with said dynamo, substantially as described. I

vice and a hand manipulated valveaconnections from the retarding-device to a Water motor, a dynamo connected to said Water motor and adapted to be driven thereby, a speed Operated switch for connecting the dynamo with a. telephone circuit that includes alarm receiving apparatus, a ground 1 valve mechanism comprising avr'etarding device and a hand manipulated valve, connections from the retarding device to a Water motor, a dynamo connected to said Water motor and adapted to be driven thereby, a

speed operated switch for connecting the dynamo With a telephone. circuit that 1neludes alarm receiving apparatus, a subcircuit connecting local alarm apparatus with said dynamo, and agrounded circuit connecting the hand manipulated valve with an additional alarm apparatus, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with a sprinkler system, of a telephone circuit, a pressure controlled trans'i'nitter that is adaptedto be made operative by a variation of pressure eos, tea

in the pipesof said systemvvhen a sprinkler opens to transmit signals over said telephone circuit, apparatus for denoting the transmitted signals, connections from said trans mitter to the main valve of said system of sprinklers that include apparatus adapted to be made operative by the turning of said valve from the position of fully open to connect the transmitter with a grounded circuit which is independent of said telephone circuitwhen in its normal position, and means at a remote station for denoting the signals due to the turning of said Valve, substan tially as described.

13. The combination, with a sprinkler sys tem provided with a main valve, of a telephone circuit, a signal transmitter that is adapted to be made operative to transmit alarm signals over said telephone circuit when a sprinkler opens, connections from said telephone circuit to earth thatinclude the transmitter and a movable part of the main valve of the sprinkler system, and rece1v1ng apparatus in operative relation to said grounded line for causing the turning of said valve to be denoted, substantially as described.

. CHARLES E, BUELL.

' Witnesses:

' VVIIILIAM C. BUELL,

A. C. BUELL. 

